Treaty of Turkmenchay
Encyclopedia
Qajar dynasty
The Qajar dynasty was an Iranian royal family of Turkic descent who ruled Persia from 1785 to 1925....
(modern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
) recognized Russian suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
over the Erivan khanate
Erivan Khanate
The Khanate of Erivan , was an administrative territory that was established Safavid Persia in the early 17th century. It covered an area of roughly 7,500 square miles, and corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and the Sharur and...
, the Nakhchivan khanate
Nakhchivan khanate
The Khanate of Nakhichevan was a feudal state in the southern Caucasus, nominally subordinate to the Persian Shahs, and named after its chief settlement, the town of Nakhichevan....
, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate
Talysh Khanate
The Talysh Khanate was one of many self-ruling principalities that existed on the territory of modern Azerbaijan Republic between 1747 and 1813, which was Safavi territory at that time...
, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between the empires, after its defeat in 1828 at the end of the Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828.
The treaty was signed on February 21, 1828 by Abbas Mirza
Abbas Mirza
Prince, Field-Marshal Abbas Mirza born Amol city , was a Qajar crown prince of Persia. He developed a reputation as a military commander during wars with Russia and the Ottoman Empire, as an early modernizer of Persia's armed forces and institutions, and for his death before his father, Fath Ali...
, the crown prince, and Allah-Yar Khan Asaf al-Daula, chancellor of Fath Ali Shah, on behalf of Persia, and General Ivan Paskievich representing Imperial Russia. As was the case for the Treaty of Gulistan, Persia was forced to sign the treaty by Russia, as it had no alternative after the crown prince's defeat. The Russian general had threatened Fath Ali Shah that he would conquer Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in five days unless the treaty was signed.
The treaty
- By Article 4 of the treaty, Persia renounced all claims over the Erivan khanateErivan KhanateThe Khanate of Erivan , was an administrative territory that was established Safavid Persia in the early 17th century. It covered an area of roughly 7,500 square miles, and corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, most of the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and the Sharur and...
(most of present-day central ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
), the Nakhchivan khanateNakhchivan khanateThe Khanate of Nakhichevan was a feudal state in the southern Caucasus, nominally subordinate to the Persian Shahs, and named after its chief settlement, the town of Nakhichevan....
(most of the present-day Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
), the Talysh khanateTalysh KhanateThe Talysh Khanate was one of many self-ruling principalities that existed on the territory of modern Azerbaijan Republic between 1747 and 1813, which was Safavi territory at that time...
, the OrdubadOrdubad (rayon)Ordubad is a rayon of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Ordubad Rayon, was established in 1930. In 1963 it was incorporated in Julfa Rayon. However Ordubad Rayon was reestablished in 1965. Its capital city of the same name is the second largest town in Nakhchivan. In addition...
and Mughan regions (now also part of Azerbaijan), in addition to all lands annexed by RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in the Gulistan Treaty. - By Article 6 of the treaty, Iran promised to pay Russia 10 korurCroreA crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
in gold or 20 million silver rubles (in 1828 currency). - By Article 8 of the treaty, Iranian ships lost full rights to navigate all of the Caspian SeaCaspian SeaThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
and her coasts, henceforth given to Russia. - Iran recognized capitulation rights for Russians in Iran.
- By Article 10, Russia gained the right to send consulate envoys anywhere in Iran.
- By Article 13, prisoners of war were exchanged.
- By Article 10, Iran is forced to sign economic treaties with Russia as Russia specified.
- By Article 7 of the treaty, Russia promised to support Abbas MirzaAbbas MirzaPrince, Field-Marshal Abbas Mirza born Amol city , was a Qajar crown prince of Persia. He developed a reputation as a military commander during wars with Russia and the Ottoman Empire, as an early modernizer of Persia's armed forces and institutions, and for his death before his father, Fath Ali...
as the heir to the throne of Persia after Fath Ali Shah died. (This proved impossible when Abbas Mirza predeceased Fath Ali Shah.) - Iran officially apologized for breaking its promises made in the Gulistan Treaty.
- By Article 15, Fath Ali Shah promised not to charge or persecute any inhabitant or official in the region of Azerbaijan for any deed carried out during the war or during the temporary control of the region by Russian troops. In addition, all inhabitants of the aforementioned district were given the right to move from Persian districts to Russian districts if they wished to do so within one year.
The treaty also stipulated the resettlement of Armenians from Persia to the Caucasus, which also included an outright liberation of Armenian captives who were brought and had lived in Iran since 1804 or as far back as 1795. In addition, the resettlement permitted to compensate the loss of 20,000 Armenians who moved to Georgia between 1795 to 1827.
Aftermath
According to Prof. Svante Cornell:According to the Cambridge History of Iran:
Massacre at the Russian Embassy
In the aftermath of the war and signing of the treaty, anti-Russian sentiment in Persia was rampant. On February 11, 1829, an angry mob stormed the Russian embassy in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and slaughtered almost everyone inside. Among those killed in the massacre was a newly appointed ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Persia Alexander Griboyedov, the celebrated Russian playwright and personal friend of Alexander Pushkin. Griboyedov had previously played an active role in negotiating the terms of the treaty.
Sources
- H. Pir Nia, Abbas Eghbal Ashtiani, B. Agheli. History of Persia. Tehran, 2002. p. 673-686. ISBN 964-6895-16-6
See also
- Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907
- Iran-Russia relationsIran-Russia relationsRelations between Russia and Persia , officially commenced in 1592, with the Safavids in power. Past and present contact between Russia and Iran has long been complicatedly multi-faceted; often wavering between collaboration and rivalry. The two nations have a long history of geographic, economic,...
- List of treaties
- Treaty of Akhal
- Treaty of Gulistan